Together We Soar

Georgia Southern University has always been an institution known for its commitment, tenacity and devotion, not only to the students it serves but also to the alumni, friends and communities transformed by its impact.

In a concerted effort to expand its reach and influence in southeast Georgia and beyond, the University has embarked on a historic fundraising campaign titled “Together We Soar: The Campaign for Georgia Southern University.” The comprehensive campaign has set a formidable goal of $125 million by 2026 to broaden the academic, research and athletic programs and capabilities of the institution and its colleges.

In a display of early success and community commitment, the campaign has already secured more than $87 million, with 14,211 donors heeding the call to support the University’s future. This substantial figure represents more than two-thirds of the target amount and reinforces the campaign’s momentum.

At the campaign launch on Oct. 20, 2023, at the Performing Arts Center on the Statesboro Campus, Georgia Southern President Kyle Marrero emphasized the significance of the initiative.

“The ‘Together We Soar’ campaign is about harnessing the power of community and innovation to take Georgia Southern to new heights,” he said. “This is a clarion call to our alumni, partners and friends to join us in a transformative journey that will not only enhance our University’s stature but also catalyze economic growth across southeast Georgia.”

True Blue Alumni Lead the Way

Campaign co-chairs and Georgia Southern alumni Mike Sanders (‘81) and Leonard Bevill (‘93) are passionate advocates for the University and believe it is in a crucial position for growth. For years, Georgia Southern has been a University with “potential,” but Bevill says the time for what “could be” is over.

“We want this University to become what everybody says it can be and get away from the word ‘potential,’” said Bevill, a retired healthcare CEO who now serves as the executive director of the Eagle Nation Collective. “The time of potential is over with. Now is the time to grow the University, and the only way to grow the University is by increasing its financial capacity.”

Sanders said the University has always been known for doing more with less, especially on the athletics side. Whether using yellow school buses to transport players to football games during Erk Russell’s era or trying to compete in the Sun Belt against schools with vastly larger resources, Sanders said it’s time to stop thinking in terms of scarcity for all facets of the University.

“I’m tired of doing more with less,” said Sanders, a financial advisor with UBS Financial Services. “Why don’t we do more with more? That’s exactly what this campaign is about. We’re about to turn the corner with donors and an amount of money that’s never been raised before by Georgia Southern as a University. And we’re going to do more with more going forward. Finally — whether it is about athletics, whether it’s about Wexford, whether it’s about research — here is our opportunity.”

Four Pivotal Priorities

The campaign focuses on four strategic priorities, each underpinning the University’s mission to provide a comprehensive educational experience, foster community engagement and build innovative partnerships with area businesses and industries.

As Goes the University, So Goes Southeast Georgia

The economic impact of Georgia Southern is a significant narrative thread in the campaign, with the University contributing $1.1 billion in regional economic impact in 2022. This financial footprint is a cornerstone of the campaign’s message, highlighting the University’s role as a key driver of economic prosperity and transformation.

“When we talk about economic impact, it’s not just numbers,” said Marrero. “It’s jobs, it’s lives improved, it’s a region uplifted.”

As a regional partner, Georgia Southern is not only one of southeast Georgia’s largest employers, but it is also the region’s greatest catalyst for growth and innovation.

In the last year, the University has penned agreements with Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA), a new facility that will employ some 8,500 people from the region, to address workforce needs while advancing academic excellence and technological innovation; created a Tactical Athlete Program for Fort Stewart to reduce injuries for soldiers; created logistics programs to support the Port of Savannah, the fastestgrowing port in the nation; and created an international partnership between Savannah and Wexford, Ireland, where the University now has a permanent education center.

In addition, Georgia Southern has created research centers in Statesboro and Savannah that will directly impact public health, environmental health and wellness in southeast Georgia. Plans to increase faculty research grants and develop state-of-the-art facilities are in place to support the university’s ascent as a research hub.

“Our faculty’s research endeavors are crucial in addressing the challenges our region faces, from healthcare to environmental sustainability,” said Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Carl Reiber.

A New Legacy of Giving

Today, Eagle Nation, and its Pirate brethren, are stronger than ever. With more than 146,000 alumni from Georgia Southern and Armstrong, the University faithful occupy a wide range of professions around the world, elevating the reputation of their alma maters.

Despite this sprawling network of University graduates, however, Bevill says only about 5,000 of them give. And to see Georgia Southern become the University it can be, Bevill says we need everyone involved — not just because of what the University did for its alumni, but also because of the legacy they can leave for others.

“That’s what excites us, to be honest with you, is the opportunity to change Georgia Southern for generations to come,” said Bevill. “We have the ability for our grandkids or our great-grandkids to see a legacy at Georgia Southern where you can look back to 2023 and say, ‘We had a vision and look where we are now.’

“When you contribute to Georgia Southern, you’re not just giving to an institution,” he added. “You’re giving to the next generation of leaders, innovators and citizens who will go on to shape our world.”

Sanders also emphasized that giving is all about passion, and there are several programs and initiatives in need of funding that he hopes will inspire a specific passion in each giver.

“I’m tired of doing more with less. Why don’t we do more with more? That’s exactly what this campaign is about.”

— Mike Sanders, Campaign Co-chair

“Whether you want to give to athletics as the front porch of the University, you want to give to the music program like the Gretsch family has already done or you care about the Center for Addiction and Recovery — those are all things that can be supported through this campaign,” he said. “What we want to do is be in front of our constituents, whether it’s our alumni or our friends of the University that care about Georgia Southern, and share some of our passion with them.”

Together We Soar is nearing 70% of its fundraising goal, but there is still so much more to do. The University hopes to excite its alumni and friends, build momentum and reach this historic goal to secure its future. When asked how he believes the University will reach this lofty financial goal, Sanders says the answer is simple: they won’t.

“We’re not planning on reaching this goal,” he said. “We’re planning on exceeding this goal. We think $125 million as the campaign goal is too low, and we intend to exceed it by a fairly large amount in the next few years.”

For more information on Together We Soar or to give to the campaign online, visit GeorgiaSouthern.edu/TogetherWeSoar.

NOTE: Since the time of publication, Co-chair Mike Sanders passed away. Georgia Southern remembers Sanders and his contributions to the University here.